SPOKESMAN OF THE ARMENIAN PRESIDENT TAKEN ABACK BY THE STATEMENT OF THE EU SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE IN THE SOUTH CAUCASUS

Mediamax
December 24, 2007

Yerevan /Mediamax/. Spokesman of the Armenian President Viktor
Soghomonian stated today that he was taken aback by the statement of
the EU Special Representative in the South Caucasus Peter Semneby,
according to which "the authorities of Armenia have a responsibility to
set the right tone for the media while avoiding direct interference".

Peter Semneby made this statement in an interview to Mediamax,
commenting on the results of his recent two-day visit to Armenia.

Commenting on this statement, Spokesman of the Armenian President
Viktor Soghomonian stated in an interview to Mediamax today:

"I was taken aback by the statement of Mr. Semneby. I do not see that
in European countries, the authorities are responsible for the tone
of media.

It is impossible to understand, using which instruments the given
responsibility can be realized after all. I do not know the motives
of Mr. Semneby’s statement, as well as the criteria and the source of
information, but it is obvious that they are far from the truth. If Mr.

Semneby was so kind as to study the prime cause of the tension of the
pre-election disputes in Armenia, he would undoubtedly see that the
authorities are the most reserved participant of the process. By the
way, we are observing the elections in Europe, and, to tell the truth,
the media tone does not stand out by particular refinement there".